A cord lock includes a main body having front and rear walls and two side walls, an elongated hole, and an inclined portion formed in an inner surface of the side walls; and an operating button having front and rear wall side operating portions arranged on the front wall and the rear wall, respectively, a connecting portion integrally connected to the front and rear wall side operating portions through the elongated hole, a biasing device biasing the front and rear side operating portions to the one side opening to cooperate with the inclined portion, and a gear-shaped engagement portion adapted to pinch the band inserted into the tubular shape. The operating button has a pivot portion, wherein a distance between an axial end of the pivot portion and a shaft end supporting the gear-shaped engagement portion is narrower than a thickness of the gear-shaped engagement portion.

The rope tightening and fastening device of the invention is a flat, elongated device having at one end a forward-opening, V-shaped mouth including opposing surfaces and at the other end a rear-facing back edge with a knob extending rearward therefrom. Rear and cinching apertures are disposed between the mouth and knob, the rear aperture having a forward-facing engagement surface and the cinching aperture having a rear-facing engagement surface, the forward-facing engagement surface configured to engage the beginning of one leg of a rear loop of rope that is passed through the rear aperture and fastened around the knob, the rear-facing engagement surface configured to engage the end of a return leg of a forward loop of rope extending from the rear aperture, and the opposing surfaces of the mouth having gripping members for securing a portion of rope under tension in the mouth.

A cleat for a boat includes a cam mounted to the boat, where the cam has a rotatable toothed surface for pressing against a line. The cleat also includes a guide mounted to the boat adjacent the cam, where the guide has a surface for directing the line above a top of the cam. In addition, the cleat has a slot formed in the surface of the guide, which permits the line to be moved into opposition with the rotatable toothed surface of the cam.

A clamping device (10, 110, 210) comprising: a body (14) defining opposite apertures (37A, 37B) to allow an elongate article (12) to extend through the body (14), the body (14) defining a space (22) between the apertures (37A, 37B); a clamping member (18) for clamping the elongate article (12); and an insert arrangement (16, 116) or overmoulded part (16, 116) received in the space (22); the insert arrangement (16, 116) or overmoulded part (16, 116) comprising a holder (24) defining a passage (26) along which the elongate article (12) can extend; wherein the holder (24) includes a clamping formation (58, 60), the clamping member (18) clamping the elongate article (12) against the clamping formation (58, 60) in use.

A carriage for holding a clamping member in a clamping device, the carriage having a central portion and at least one holding portion for holding the clamping member, wherein the, or each, holding portion is foldable relative to the central portion between an open position of the, or each, holding portion and a closed position of the, or each, holding portion.

Lacing engine systems, apparatus, and methods of operation are discussed. In an example, a lacing engine apparatus can include a housing, a drivetrain, and a lace take-up mechanism for retracting a length of lace cable upon activation. The drivetrain can include various reduction gears to reduce rotational speed out of the motor and power the lace take-up mechanism. The lace take-up mechanism can include structures such as a double-yoke, a radial pulley including an outer rotating disc and an inner stationary disc, a variable take-up spool, or a zip-strip mechanism.

The specification discusses various lacing engine configurations for use in an automated footwear platform. For example, lacing engines with mechanisms to detect lace cable position and/or lace cable tensions are discussed. In an example, the lacing engine can include a housing, a lace spool and a detection mechanism. The lace spool can be at least partially disposed within the housing, and be adapted to collect a portion of the lace cable in response to rotation in a first direction during tightening of the footwear platform. The detection mechanism can detect a state of the lace cable manipulated by the lacing engine.

A cleat for a boat includes a cam mounted to the boat, where the cam has a rotatable toothed surface for pressing against a line. The cleat also includes a guide mounted to the boat adjacent the cam, where the guide has a surface for directing the line above a top of the cam. In addition, the cleat has a slot formed in the surface of the guide, which permits the line to be moved into opposition with the rotatable toothed surface of the cam.

Disclosed is a self-engaging, line-gripping device for adjustably securing a line to a tie-down. The device has a housing with a front head and a back body portion, a line-gripping mechanism integrated within the back portion, and a separate line holding member mounted on its surface. A line through passage goes through the back portion (including the line-gripping mechanism) and out front portion, the through passage for receiving a line into one end and passing it out the other end. The gripping mechanism is normally self-engaged to hold a received line in engagement with internal gripping means. The mechanism is released to load a line in the device by manually depressing a release plunger on the body portion. The line holding member has an internal channel which freely passes the line, and useful for forming a loop in the line and for securing the bitter-end of the line.

A drawstring bag comprising: a bag; a drawstring encircling an open end of the bag; and a closure member comprising a sleeve and a plurality of angled teeth protruding within the interior of the sleeve, wherein: a portion of the drawstring comprising two co-extending lengths of drawstring extends from the bag; the closure member is located around the two co-extending lengths; and the angled teeth of the closure member allow the closure member to slide freely along the two co-extending lengths to close the bag, and engage with the drawstring to prevent the closure member from sliding in the opposite direction to re-open the bag, such that there cannot be movement of the closure member in the re-opening direction.